Animal-crate



G.. H. HALL.

ANIMALCRATE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. l0, 1918.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.'

4. SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Gea Hiya/ BIX/2,

G. H. HALL.

A'NIMAL CRATE. APrLlcAToN r|LD.AuG. 1o. 1918.

"Patented Feb. 8,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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G.'H. HALL. ANIMAL CRATE. v APPLlCATtON FILED AUG. l0, |918.

Patentd Feb. 8,y 1921.

FlE.

GEORGE H. HALL, OF HENRY, ILLINOIS.

ANIMAL-CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Application filed August 10, 1918. Serial No. 249,369.

v.To all whom it may concern.'

rlhis invention relates to breeding` and operating crates, and also to a crate for use in ringing hogs.

The invention has 'for one ot its objects to furnish a crate for trapping hogs, that can be used for breeding purposes and Jfor the purpose ot operating' upon the animals by providing a hinged side to which the animal may be strapped, and in which also the hog'- may be held by its head when placing a ring through its snout.

Another object is to construct a crate ot this class that is wholly collapsible in order that it may be placed in knock-down form for storage and shipment.

Another object is to provide 'for holding* the hog,r by its head by a unique operating means, all of which will appear in the tol lowing specification, aided by the accompartying drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is a plan of my improved crate:

Fig. 1a shows a board used within the crate;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of one side of the crate; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the front side of the same;

Fig. 4t shows, in perspective, a part ot' the crate, one of whose sides is lowered Jfrom its normal position;

Fig. 5 shows, in perspective, and,

Fig. 6 shows, in perspective, an approach or runway and meanstor adiusting it vertically or with respect to the floor level ot the crate.

l indicates a platform supported upon suitable longitudinal sills 2. One of the sides of the crate includes a pair of upriufhts 3, one at the iront and one at the rear ot the platform connected by spaced `members 4.

a side-board;

These upright members extend preferably through openings 5 in the platform, the lower of the members l restingn upon the platform Vfor supportingthe side, the openings 5 being clearly shown in Figs. 3 and et. This construction makes said side removable for knock-down purposes, being held rigidly in position by the other inclosing portions to be described.

'lhe opposite side of the crate is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4. it consists of the several uprights 6, 6-7, 7, the first two forming the corner supports at the -ends of the platform, the uprights 7, 7, being near the middle ot' the latter. All of the uprights are connected by spaced members and 9, and the planking represented at 1U which is preferably in the closed form to constitute, when let down as in Fig. 4, an operating table for the animal, the use of which table will be described later herein.

IConnected with the front upright member G as shown in Figs. 3 and l is a pair of lower horizontal members 1l and a pair of upper horizontal members l2. These are spaced from one another and lie at each side of the members 6. At their free ends they engage opposite sides of the adjacent upright member 3. Spa/eed 'from the immediate free end ot said members and held between them is an upright 13 constituting with the parts described a rigid frame forming part of the 'front end ot the crate. j

1li is an upright bar slidable between the pairs of members 11 and 12 described, there being a guide-block 15 secured to said upright 14 to rest upon and slidably engage one of the said lower members 11.

16, 16 indicate twoY rollers, one between the lower members 11 and one between the upper members 12. 17, 17 indicate a pair of flexible members such as cables or chains both secured atone of their ends to a lever 18 pivoted between the members 12, and provided with a springr latch 19 to engage in the notches of a quadrant 20. The other ends of the cables are separately attached to the upper and lower ends ot the said bar 14.

21, 21 are springs attached at one of their ends to the members 14 at the upper and lower end, their other ends being attached in suitable manner to the upright 13, and are preferably let into recesses 22 in the member 13 so that they can be given considerable length and have suliicient power to draw the member ll'against said member 13 or to the position shown inV dotted lines in Fig. 3.

It will be observed 'that by .disengaging the latch 19 and letting the lever ,1S move to the right as viewed in the ligure last referred to, the springs will draw the bar 14 to the dotted line position mentioned. Said member 14 is provided with a recess A23 which, together with a recess 24 in a inember 25 .corresponding to lll, creates an open- .ing through which the animals head is placed 'when desired to hold it for trinsing purposes'. The member 25 is removable by drawing it upward from ybetween. the members 11 and 12 as indicated in .dotted lines so that 'after the member le has been moved to its described dotted line position a free passage-way is created for the escape of the animal. rl`he side made up of the uprights 6, 7 andthe members 8, 9, and 1'0ishingedly mounted on the platform. Y

A26 indicates a pair of hinge members secured Ito the members 6, for example, and

27 are hinge-pins secured in the platform in any suitable manner for receiving the eyes of the said hinge members.V

This structure Vpermits the side having' said hinge members to be dropped down and also to be disengaged entirely, if desired, for crating purposes.

Preferably thereV is secured on the platform a member 28 recessed at two placesI 29 to receivethe lower extended ends oi the described members 7, 7. When the side is in its vertical position this member 28 prevents longitudinal movement et the side. lNhen let downto the position shown in Fig. 4f where the members 7, 7 will have disengaged from the member 28 it is vident that the said side when shifted from the hinge-pins 27 can be entirely removed from l the platform.

VThe rearend 'of the crate is closed. by a suitable gate 30 which may be hinged to the rear upright member 3, one of the hin ges be- V hinged carries a cross-v iember 34;. r

ino; illustrated at '31 in 6, there being a latch 32 oiV any suitable form to ei keeper 33 on the rear upr'e'ht 6.

The rear member which the sa lgs. and'l, suitably braced with respect thereto. As shown in Fig. 1, this member Si is bifurf cated at35 to receive-the rear member 6 ot the hinged side. suitable springlatch is pivoted to the member .and receives a hook 37 on said member 6. That is to say, when the `hinged side is in its raised or normal position. the hook has engagement` with the latch and sustains said side in position. y 38 is a runway or approach mounted so as tobe adjusted vertically with respect to Vthe platform l, `for accommodating large orsmall animals. ln order to provide for change in this position' there is provided a bail 39 sup sorting said platform bent at each side of the platter. i into arms e0 which arms bent parallel to the bail 39 forming other arms Ll1 and engage in slots'fl in one of the supporting' sills 2, i3 indicating` retaining` pins to hold the arms in place.

@ne of the latter arms is extended into a lever elfi to engage behind a quadrant l5 secured on one sine ci the crate, there being at one cr more points extensions i6 to receive said lever `for supporting the platform 38 at various elevations.

ln Fig. 2 the platform 3S is indicated in a raised or vertical position in which position it will be retained upon moving1 the leverV de to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, since itis clamped against the end of the platform 1. rlhis is merely' a disposal Of said platter '38 when raising it out cit the way when the crate is not in use. However, it may be entirely removed as may be understood by withdrawing the'retaining pins 43. Y

47, 47 indicate the usual side-boards used in devices of this character disposed in a vertical position and are provided with toot boards liti, most clearly shown in F 5.

@n their outer sides each is provided with an eye 4:8 near each end and i9 is a bail above each of said eyes. 5() is a bail eX- tending through each eye and its companion lbail and hai/ingv down-turned lextremities 51. These en .ige in eyes 52 secured. in the crate in any suitable manner, there being links connecting one end thereof withV each the side-boards by means et 55 on 'the latter' from which the said linlrs are readily removable.

56 is alever .pivotcd on the crate desired place, preferably the side ci the'parts 57 is a rod connectingF the two levers as shown whereby the adjustment of the lever 56 will move the side board toward one another for a purpose well'lmown. 58 is a bar also common to breeding crates having a pivotally mounted portion '59 at one end provided with parallel 'extensions 50 which enter sockets permanently mounted on and pivoted to the platform l. By this structure the bar be readily attached and detached. VThe other end ofY the bar is hooked as at 6l to enrrage over one ci' the lower members l1 which holds said bar in its raised position. i

After the animal has been driven into the crate it is held by latchinr thel rear .Qate 30 to the side board as adjusted; after which a front board 62. shown clearly in Fig'. 1a, is set in between the sides of the crate bellll tween any two of a series of cleats 63 on the platform l, the board 62 being bifurcated to permit it to stand astride the bar 58 without interfering with that member. rthe upper end of the board is held in position by means of a rod 6ft which may be passed through any one of a series of holes 65 in opposite upper members l and 9 and through anweye 66 carried by said board 62. This board locates the animal and holds it from moving forward. To prevent the animal from jumping from the cra-te a board 67 is inserted between the horizontal members of the sides.

l/Vhen desired to ring a hog; it is driven up to the front of the crate with its head extended beyond the members 14 and 25 whereupon the lever 18 is moved in the direction of the position shown in full lines in Fig; 3 which effectively prevents its escape.

The board 25 can be removed after` the ringingf operation and the member 14 permitted to move under the pull of the springs 2l., thus providing an exit for the animal. However, the links 54. are first disconnected from the eyes 55 so as to be drawn out of the way of the animal and from between the described members and to permit said member 11i free movement.

When it is desired to operate on an ani- 4mal, the side board 47 suspended from the side of the crate creating the table l0 is removed whereupon. the animal can be tied or strapped to the eyes 55 of said side and that side can then be let down as shown in Fig. 4, the hop; being carried to a reclin. ing; position.

The rear grate 30 is removable, the side made up of 'the parts 3 and 4 is removable, as also the platform or approach 38 in addition to the fact that the hinged side can be detached by moving it longitudinally to release it from the hinge-pins 27 makes the device completely collapsible.

rlfhe crate has all of the advantages necessary in the care of animals and while I have shown preferred manners of construct ingr and installing the parts, I may make slicrht changes therein as may suggest themselves without departing; from the spirit and intent of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l. .a crate of the class described, includin?,` in its construction, a plattform, a. side portion hingedly mounted thereon in a quick detachable manner being; detachable by a longitudinal movement of the when in a reclininp; position, means on the platform to prevent such removal when the said side is in its upright position, and an end portion rigidly attached to and carried by said side portion, an associated side portion detachably mounted upon the platform, and a gate at one end hingedly attached to one of the described side portions.

2. A crate for the uses described, including in combination, a platform, side portions detachably mounted on the same, hinge members secured to one of them, a hinge pin secured in the platformat each said hinge lying,` parallel to the said side and lziaving a free end adapted to receive said hinge members whereby the side may be attached orI detached by a movement thereof in a longitudinal direction when in one of its positions, and means to prevent the detachment of said side when in another of its positions.

A crate for the uses described, includ ing in combination, a platform, side portions detachably mounted on the same,hinge members secured to one of them, a hinge pin secured in the platform at each said hinge lying parallel to the said side and having a free end adapted to receive said hinge members whereby the side may be attached and detached by amovement thereof in a. longitudinal direction when in one of its positions, means to prevent the detachment of said side when in another of its positions, and interlocking devices on the two sides adapted to automatically engage for holding the hinged side in an upright position.

4f. crate for the uses described including a platform, sides and ends forming an inclosure, one of said ends including spaced portions at top and bottom, a pair of members lying,r between said. spaced portions, one of them being,` movable in a lateral direction, a lever, a pair of flexible members connected at one of their ends to said lever and at their opposite ends to opposite ends of the movable member, a portion over which each liexible member is trained, and springs attached to the movable member, the other member of the said pair of members being removable in a longitudinal direction from said end.

5. A crate for the uses described includingI in its construction a platform, a runway, a lever pivoted on the platform including a le`ver-arm carryino said runway at its free end adapted to adgust the height of the latter and adapted in one of its positions in conjunction with the platform to maintain said runway in a vertical position.

6. A crate for the uses described including; in its construction aplatform, a runway adapted when raised to a vertical position to rest against the end of the platform, and a lever pivoted on the platform including a lever-arm carrying the runway adapted when the latter is raised to said vertical position to clamp it against said platform.

7. A crate for the uses described, a platform, side and end portions forming an inclosure, one of the sides being hingedly related to said platform and adapted to be dropped to a'reclining position; side boards mounted upon said side portions, oneA oic the side boards including supporting baile, and devices secured to the described hinged side portion on which the baile are hung, and from which they are removable in a quick detachable manner.

GE URGE H. HALL.

Witnesses:

, GLENN E. SEEDS, L. O. EAGLETQN. 

